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Officers

    Saul 

Saul Berenson

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Saul_4843.jpg
"What the fuck are you doing?"

Played By: Mandy Patinkin

  • Badass Bookworm: He's mostly an office analyst, but he is shown as very competent when he does field work.
  • Badass Bureaucrat: He can spot enemy plots and lies from miles away, is very dominating when confronting antagonists in person and very decisive when dealing with crisis.
  • Being Good Sucks: His service to the country puts a strain on his marriage, and he's given a very hard time when he clashes with Estes over a broken deal.
  • Batman Gambit:
    • Throws Carrie under the bus in the aftermath of the attack on Langley. He doesn't become a Broken Pedestal because it's revealed to be a part of a complex scheme to lure the Iranians.
    • And then there's his followup plan: Turn a war criminal into a puppet for the CIA, and then use the US's most sought after fugitive to assassinate a high-ranking Iranian official so that he could be replaced with said puppet.
  • Big Good: During his stint as head of the CIA. A very balanced leader, unlike other radical and self-serving officials who hold the post throughout the series.
  • The Chains of Commanding: Being the head of the agency at a critical time undermines his principles due to a tremendous responsability full of political obstacles.
    We're not assassins, Mira. We're spies. We don't kill our targets if we don't have to. We trawl for 'em, we develop 'em, and then we redirect them against more important targets.
  • The Fettered: A principled spy who stands by his word, defends that deals must be honored and advocates for smart-not-blunt approaches. Fellow spymaster Dar Adul even chides Saul for being too sensitive for the profession, but this righteousness has doubled as a motivation for years.
  • Foil: To David Estes. Both are senior officials at the CIA, but Saul is a principled hero who tries to do the right thing, even if (and when) his career suffers for it.
  • Knight in Sour Armour: The War on Terror is a weary endeavour, but he keeps carrying on.
  • Married to the Job: "It's my weakness. My Achilles' Heel. Whenever they call me, I go."
  • Only Friend: To Carrie's. It works both ways, he is her Only Friend as much she is his. Estes explicitly tells Saul in "I'll Fly Away" that, except Carrie alone, Saul himself really has no allies in the CIA.
    • Subverted in season 3: Despite appearances to the contrary (and assurances to Lockhart), Dar Adul seems to be very much an ally of Saul's.
  • The Last DJ: A veteran who didn't have a higher rank at the CIA because he's not a political animal.
  • Only Sane Man: He is the mediator between Carrie's antics and CIA's bureaucracy.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: The most balanced official among the powerful characters.
    • Double subverted in Season 3. In the season's first four episodes, it seemed that he was being extremely cruel to Carrie (whether it was somewhat deserved, fans can disagree on). He also had a Kick the Dog scene with an Islamic analyst that looked very bad. But at the end of Episode 4, The Reveal showed that he and Carrie had actually been working together, and Saul had not lost his morality. He then was shown as a Reasonable Authority Figure throughout the rest of the season, although some thought that he had become too much like The Spock, willing to sacrifice individuals' safety for The Needs of the Many.
  • The Stoic: rarely raises his voice or loses his cool, although if he's displeased with you, you will know it.
  • Took a Level in Jerkass: In the third season he is more personally unpleasant and goes in the direction of being The Un Fettered in terms of his willingness to use as sacrifice assets and seek out shady assets for the greater good. Before the reveal at the end of "Game On" (Season 3, Episode 4) he seemed to have taken several levels in Jerkass, but after that it seems at worst he's become more like The Spock, focusing on The Needs of the Many, with a plan to make anti-American terrorism much harder and less likely, although willing to reluctantly break a few eggs if required for that omelet.
  • We Used to Be Friends: With Javadi, they were close associates when Iran was an American ally under the Shah.
  • You Are in Command Now: At the end of season two, the car bomb decapitates the CIA leadership and leaves him the ranking officer on the scene.

    Estes 

David Estes

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Estes_4475.jpg
"I'm making sure there are no loose cannons rolling around on my deck, because if there are, I need to tie them down."

Played By: David Harewood

  • Ambition Is Evil: A careerist who acts as a prolongation of Walden's agenda from time to time.
  • Dropped a Bridge on Him: Albeit effectively.
  • Inspector Javert: Namechecked by Saul. Starts to fit the role by the end of Season 2.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Jerk: Whenever Estes seems to show a humane side, he quickly shows to be just as self-seving as ever.
  • Kick the Dog: After Saul learns that he and the vice president used drone strikes against terrorists while disregarding the possible civilian casualties of such an endeavor, he confronts Estes about it. Estes condescendingly points out to Saul that his threat to release this information is hollow as it will damage the nation at large by giving Middle-Eastern terrorist organizations "the best recruitment tool since Abu-Ghraib," essentially hiding behind Saul's patriotism to cover his own ass.
  • Honest Advisor: He voices his concern to the Vice President about targeting civilians.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: He is a competent boss at his own right. It's just that, unlike Carrie, he is limited by CIA bureaucracy. Played with in that he shares Walden's agenda and this makes him an obstructive antagonist or worse when it fits him.

    Senator Lockhart 

Senator Andrew Lockhart

Played By: Tracy Letts

A subcommittee boss who grills the CIA for its failures and is appointed director of the CIA by the President in Season 3.

  • Mole in Charge: Sort of, Saul is able to catch him receiving intelligence from a Mossad agent, implying that he is an Israeli agent
  • Obstructive Bureaucrat: In his first scene, he's hauled prominent CIA officers before his Senate subcommittee, apparently hindering their work. Unwittingly, this is factored in by Saul in a scheme to lure the Iranians.
  • Strawman Political: He's spends much of Season 3 doing nothing but oppose Saul at every turn, and criticize the CIA without offering any tangible solution (other than using more drone strikes). However, he does become more of a Reasonable Authority Figure after being blackmailed by Saul into allowing his operation to go through.
  • Tyrant Takes the Helm: Set up as this, he's set up before he takes over hardass and is determined to undo Saul's policies, shifting the importance of field assets in favor of drones. This is at least somewhat subverted, although he's not shown as very competent: He takes great risks to save Saul's life and is protective of Carrie and other operatives. He turns out to be a rather poor CIA chief, but more out of incompetence than tyranny or ruthlessness. Compared to Saul, he looks bad; but compared to Estes of Seasons 1 and 2, he turns out to be less competent but probably more caring.

Operators

    Peter 

Peter Quinn

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/PeterQuinnHL_3349.jpg

Played By: Rupert Friend

  • Bound and Gagged: Becomes this when he is held captive in episode 9 of season 5.
  • Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: He's introduced as a simple analyst with the Directorate of Intelligence. "Two Hats" reveals him to actually be a black ops assassin with the Special Activities Division, sent to eliminate Brody once Abu Nazir's organization is destroyed.
  • Determinator: Rest? From a little gutshot? Do I look like a pussy?
  • Everyone Loves Blondes: Both Astrid and Carrie are tall slender blondes.
  • Good Is Not Nice: Even characters in-universe notice it. This is probably the cause of most of his friction with people.
  • Hidden Depths: His frat boy cockiness and short temper aside, he is Carrie's equal in insight, Saul's match in wisdom.
  • Handicapped Badass: After midway through Season 5. He retains most of his combat ability despite nearly dying from nerve gas and a subsequent stroke.
  • Hitman with a Heart: Somewhat deconstructed in that he often finds himself at odds between what his job requires, and what he believes is the right thing to do.
  • Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Bit of a jerk at first, but he slowly becomes one of the show's most empathetic characters.
  • Made of Iron: He took an assault rifle bullet in his guts and got back to work in less than a week.
  • Only Known by Their Nickname: Peter Quinn isn't his legal name.
  • Only Sane Man: Certainly comes across as one, especially when put beside Carrie.
  • Promoted to Opening Titles: After guest starring in most of season 2's episodes, Friend is a promoted to regular for season 3.
  • Rabid Cop: Subverted. He is brutal in interrogations, but does so on purpose to help a later good cop.
  • Screw the Rules, I'm Doing What's Right!: Although it has a tendency to backfire.
  • Sour Supporter: He states outright Carrie is good, but he's equally willing to snipe at her the rest of the time.
  • Tyrant Takes the Helm: Subverted. Estes places him in charge of the Brody taskforce to keep Carrie and Saul in check and both are initially suspicious of him. It turns out that not only is he a competent manager, but is almost as much of a Cowboy Cop as Carrie in his own right. Played with a bit further as he's not even an analyst but a black ops operative with his own agenda.
  • Unresolved Sexual Tension: Subtle and mild examples here and there with Carrie, such as his no nudity taboo and several explicit and awkward remarks.
  • Villain Killer: Describes himself as "a guy who kills bad guys".
  • Would Not Hurt A Child: In the season three premiere, he takes a riskier and more personally dangerous approach to an assassination rather than blow up a child along with his mark. After he accidentally shoots the kid anyway, he tells Saul he plans to quit once their job is done.

    Adal 

Dar Adal

  • Ascended Extra: Has a minor role in season 2 as Saul's fellow spymaster and cynical old friend. He's Saul's right hand in Season 3.
  • The Chess Master: He cooperates with Haqqani in Season 4 with the intention to destroy Lockart's career and get Saul reinstated as the DCI.
  • Foil: A pragmatic spy (Adal) vs a more principled one (Saul).
  • Green-Eyed Monster: Some scenes hinted that Adal was jealous of Saul's close friendship with Carrie, but seems to get over it by the end of Season 3.
  • Number Two: Under Saul at the CIA in season 3.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: Despite their disagreements, Dar and Saul maintain a friendly relationship.
  • Well-Intentioned Extremist: He comes to an agreement with Haqqani, in Season 4 halting efforts to reacquire the CIA's Network lists in order to destroy Lockhart's career and get a DCI he wants (Saul) to be appointed.

    Virgil 

Virgil Piotrowski

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Virgil_6043.jpg

Played By: David Marciano

    Max 

Max Piotrowski

Played By: Maury Sterling

  • Ascended Extra: Spends the first three seasons as second banana to his brother Virgil, before growing into a gradully more important role as the show wears on. By the final season, Maury Sterling was second billed in the main cast.
  • Dropped a Bridge on Him: Max is unceremoniously executed near the end of season 8 in a horrible aversion of the Rule of Drama.
  • Promoted to Opening Titles: Finally for the seventh season, after recurring in all but one of the previous six.
  • The Quiet One: Very soft-spoken and timid, and dislikes unnecessary physical contact.
  • The Reliable One: Becomes Carrie's most loyal ally by the end of the show.

    Danny 

Danny Gálvez

Played By: Hrach Titizian

    Fara 

Fara Sherazi

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/farah_1.jpg
Played By: Nazanin Boniadi


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